Many known hearing aids are formed as custom products, especially adapted to properly fit a specific ear of a user. Such hearing aids and methods of making same are disclosed in prior printed publications and patents and would be known to those of skill.
Because many of the known hearing aids and methods of making same are oriented toward custom products intended to fit the ear of a single user, they do not benefit from the economics of scale that can be achieved using standard products. On the other hand, custom made hearing aids have been developed as a way to provide an improved fit and performance for a user.
So-called modular hearing aids are also known. These products combine a standardized electronic/battery module with one of a plurality of different size tips to provide a personalized aid from standard components.
Known hearing aids usually are intended to be properly located approximately at the same region of the ear from one user to another, irrespective of ear size or shape. That is to say, the body or housing size of an aid for an individual with a small ear canal would not normally be used with a person having a large ear canal as it might be loose or exhibit undesirable feedback due to gaps between the housing and the ear canal.
In view of the above, there is a continuing need to provide hearing aids which will fit properly in an individual's ear, yet will hopefully benefit from the economics associated with mass production. Preferably, such hearing aids will be comfortable to insert and remove and will comfortably fit in a user's ear canal and also minimize feedback problems.